Prompt Cast
How Aerosol Cans Work
TLDR Aerosol cans are mechanically functioning containers that use compressed gas or liquefied gas as a propellant to force the product out through a valve system, atomizing the product into a fine mist. Despite the outlawing of CFC production in the 80s due to the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer, some products like nasal sprays and airplane fire extinguishers still use CFCs.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
This episode is about how aerosol cans work.
03:26
The first patent for an aerosol can was filed by a Norwegian engineer named Eric Rothheim in 1926, and it took about 15 years before the value of an aerosol can was fully understood.
06:58
An aerosol can is a mechanically functioning container that uses compressed gas as a propellant to force the product out.
10:24
Aerosol cans use compressed air as a propellant to push the product out through a valve system and atomize it.
13:51
Aerosol cans can also use liquefied gas as a propellant, which mixes with the product and turns into gas when the pressure is released, helping to atomize the product and create a finer mist.
17:23
Aerosol cans can contain a variety of products with different consistencies, and the ratio of propellant to product as well as the size and shape of the valve system can be adjusted to accommodate different types of products.
20:51
CFC production was outlawed in the 80s due to the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer, and although it is difficult to find CFCs today, they are still used in some nasal sprays and fire extinguishers for airplanes.
24:19
The host reads a listener mail about a bank teller who was robbed in 1977 and helped catch the robber using a composite drawing.
Categories:
Society & Culture
